Locomotive hose connection



July 20, 1943.

G. D. SPRANKLE LOCOMOT IVE HO SE CONNECTION Filed March 27, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: Gea1yeD Zara/115k,

ATTORNEYS.

July 20, 1943. G. 0. SPRANKLE LOCOMOTIVE HOSE CONNECTION 2 Sheets+Sheet2 Filed March 27, 1942 INVENTOR- G'eazge ll .S 'oz'a/zkie,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 20, 1943 V UNITED: STATES PATENT camel; n e I 7 2 3 n I I;l 1 t LocoMorIvE HOSE CONNEQTION George D. Sprankle, Lower Me -ionTownship, Montgomery County, Pa., assignor'toj The Pennsylvania RailroadCompany, Philadelphia, Pa

a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 27, 1942,,Serial No;5136 4319 sclaimsj (Cl. 105-47) 1/ a This invention hasgeneral referenceto ilexlble conduits intermediate relatively; movable nnitsand moreparticularly relates to hose connections between a locomotive and thetender for delivery of water from the supply tank on said tender to thelocomotive boiler feed injector. Under general practice such connectionhas con-r sistedof a single length of water hose, but in cidentto morerecent development of longer type locomotives, and the resultant greaterrel ative lateral motion between the rearend of said locomotive and thetender, it has been found disadvantageous to employ a single length ofhose inasmuch as the latter too closely approaches, if not actuallydrags on, the road-bed when rounding sharp curves or when the locomotivepasses over tangent track.

The primary aim of this invention is to overcome the noted disadvantageby employing plural hose lengths, arranged in tandem, and so mountingthe intervening connector-means as to freely accommodate the increasedlateral motion of the locomotive rear end and the tender, whilepositively ensuring that the trailer length of such connected hose shallalways be at an elevation clear of the track.

A further object of this invention is to connect together two lengths ofhose, of the species above referred to, by an improved coupler-device,

and to mount said device with respect to the locomotive and tender sothat both the leading and trailing lengths of the coupled hose aresubjected to minimum torsional strain, whereby the life thereof issubstantially increased and the possibility of disruption practicallyeliminated.

Another aim of the invention is to enable the economic usage of sparelengths of water hose and thereby effect an appreciable saving ofmaterial.

With the stated objects, and ancillary advantages, in view, thisinvention essentially consists in the novel construction and thecombination of parts as set forth, more particularly, in the concludingclaims herewith; while a preferred embodiment of said invention isexplained with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a partof this specification, and wherein like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation-of the rear left-hand portion of a locomotive(with portions of the structure in section) and tender having theimproved water hose connection of this invention installed therebetween.

Fig. 2 is an end vieix looking from the right of the preceding figuretowards the left-hand thereof. Q 1 V Fig. 3 is a top plan view withportions of the structure in section; and, c Q

Fig. 4 isa perspective viewof a detail, hereinafter fully explained. r rt In describing the embodiment or the ifiVBIi-c tion, exemplified by theaboyecaptioned figures; specific terms will be employed for the sakefofclarity, but it is to be understoodthe scope of said invention isnotthereby limited; (each such term being intended to embrace allequivalents which perform the same function for an analogous purpose.

As illustrated in the drawings, the rear end of a locomotive iscomprehensively designated by the reference symbol 5; a fragmentaryportion of the tender being indicated at 6; while I is a portion of thestoker connection; 8 the trailer-truck frame; 9 the wheels thereof; Illthe locomotive frame rear cross-tie; and H a conventional non-liftinginjector for supplying water from the tender tank valve I2 to saidinjector for feed into the boiler l3, all in accordance with prevailingpractice, while said parts are merely referred'to for the purpose ofbetter explaining the instant improvements.

It is to be remarked that the injector II is, preferably, sustained byan angle-bracket l4 afforded longitudinal guidance by a clamp device I5on the top of the cross-tie ID with fulcrum connection at Hi to theboiler rear end-supporting and longitudinally-shiftable pad I1, inaccordance with the disclosure of a companion application for patentfiled the 27th day of March, 1942, in the name of Harry A. Hoke, underSerial No. 436,428, said application subsequently maturing as U. S.Patent No. 2,304,919; dated December 15, 1942, although the presentinvention not necessarily restricted thereby, providing the injector IIis mounted in fixed relation to the back end of the boiler 13.

As illustrated in the drawings, and in accord- I 23 and its end closure24 with securement by conventional means 25, in an obvious manner; whilethe lower or inner end edge of said section 22 is suitably shaped orarched at 26 to clear the piston rod or center boss 21. In addition, thebracket 2| also embodies an intermediate section 28, obtusely-angledwith respect to the plane of the section 22; and an extension 29,similarly angled relative to the plane of the section 28, having itsterminal portion appropriately notched-out at 30, to snugly receive theelbow-coupler 20, and to which said bracket 2| is rigidly secured bywelding 3! around both side edges of the notch 30. Obviously the bracket2| may be otherwise shaped and aifixed to the trailer-truck frame 8without in any way departing from the scopeof this invention.

The front hose length [8 has its rear end preferably attached, byconventional securing means 32, to the upper end of the elbow coupler 20with the forward end similarly connected by means .i

33 to the injector H. On the other hand, the rear hose length l9 has itsfront end attached by means 34 to the lower end of the elbow'coupler2|], with the rear end correspondingly connected at '35 to the outlet ofthe tender tank valve l2.

-From the foregoing itwill be readily understood that by this inventiona simple and effective means is provided whereby hose lengths, intandem, can be installed betweena'locomotive and tender, irrespective ofthe degree of relative lateral motion therebetween, without anypossibility of trackway-drag developing. Still" further, while a.specific application of this invention has been herein disclosed, thesame is not to be considered as limitative, as the invention isobviously susceptible of other application and detail changes to meetdifferent service conditions, without departing from the scope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: 1. In a locomotiveincluding a trailer truck the combination with the boiler injector andthe tender feed water tank valve of two lengths of hose in tandemtherebetween, an elbow coupling the adjoining ends of said hose lengthswith the forward and rear ends respectively attached to the injector andthe tank valve, and a bracket projection from the elbow for attachmentto a rigid part of the locomotive trailer truck.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the trailer truck carries abooster device, and the elbow-bracket is of irregular planar formation,said bracket embodying asection for inset application with respect tothe booster device, arid said section has an arched lower edge" forthepurpose specified.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the elbow-bracket consists ofplate metal shaped to include a main attaching portion, an intermediatesection'obtusely-angled relativeto the plane of said attaching-portion,and a bifurcated similarly-angled extension for permanent connection tothe elbow coupling.

GEORGE D. SPRANKLE.

